Not Yet
by hersheygal
Summary: She would come home for a couple days, and then leave for a couple months. Then she would some home again. It was a never ending cycle that neither of them could quit. But when Kate gets in an accident, it changes everything. Jate. AU.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.

A/N: Set in the future, but it's different from the finale, which is why this is AU. Jack and Kate might act a little different as well.

Jack stood at his sink washing his hands. It had been a long day at work. A young girl had been in a car accident and had a crushed spine, and then he had been asked to cover the ER because they had been short. It wasn't exactly a great day.

And to top it off, his friend Mark had suddenly decided that they needed to reconnect. Jack saw right through him though. All he wanted was Jack's money that he had gotten from Oceanic.

Jack turned his water off then he poured himself a drink and then headed for his living room. On his way he nonchalantly glanced at the pictures hanging in the hallway. One was of him with some of his friends at a bar. Sayid, Hurley, Charlie, and Desmond. He stopped though at the next picture. He grinned, shook his head, and then kept walking. It was of him and Kate. What he liked about the picture was that they looked like a normal couple. But there was no such thing as normal when it came to Kate. It hadn't taken him too long to figure that out. He had taken that picture of them the last time she had come home. They were sitting on his couch, and he was asking her to marry him. As a joke, he had taken a picture. And of course, like always, she answered, "Not yet." It was her answer to everything he asked her and he was okay with that.

Jack had even bought a ring. It was hiding in his drawer in his desk at work. It had been there for two years.

Sayid had talked with him once, told him that waiting for Kate to come every couple months just for a couple days was useless. That he needed to move on, and let Kate move on too. Sayid reminded him that she still hadn't gotten over Sawyer's death, and that until she did, she would never be ready to settle down. Jack fully knew this, yet he still let Kate do this to him, because he loved her too much to let go.

Jack sat on the couch, staring at the empty seat next to him. "Oh Kate." He breathed in deeply. "I wish you would come home."

He never knew what she did during those months she was gone. For all he knew, she was off with other men, messing with their lives just as she did with him. As she still does. He had even asked her once what she was doing.

"So what did you do this time?

"Oh you know, I stole from some banks and stuff." Kate replied.

"Funny. Really, what did you do?"

"Nothing Jack. I just can't stay in the same place for a long time, you know that."

Jack was fully aware of the fact that she couldn't stay in one place for very long. When she moved in with him she told Jack that she was going to need complete freedom and be able to leave whenever she wanted. He told her that she never needed to ask him permission for anything. Of course she could leave whenever she wanted. Of course, he didn't know that meant never being home. But that was okay. She would be ready to stay with him one day, and he would be waiting for her. He hoped it would be sooner than later.

Later on that night, Kate was standing in front of the front door. She was looking for her key, which was hidden above the door. She left it there every time she left because she didn't want to carry a key with her. The less she had to carry with her the better. She found the key and opened the door. It was pitch black inside. Kate realized with a smile that Jack was asleep.

She had missed him more than usual this time around. She kept denying it, but he was her only love and she couldn't survive without him.

Kate softly dropped her bag onto the floor and crept into their bedroom. She took her shoes off and began to take off her clothes. She fumbled for her dresser, and put on her silk pajamas. She sighed in content. She had missed those pajamas. She crawled into bed and put the covers over her. Jack was lying on his back, with his arm over his eyes. The covers were partially covering his bare chest. Kate thought about leaving him alone for the night and letting him get some sleep. But she couldn't resist not being near to him, so she snuggled up against him under the covers. She trailed her fingers across his chest until he woke up, which didn't take very long.

"I'm home." Kate whispered as soon as he opened his eyes. Jack grinned.

"Welcome home." Jack whispered back and kissed her forehead. He put his arm around her, and she put her head on his chest, and they lay like that until they both fell asleep.

A/N: Reviews would be appreciated!!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys. They really keep me going!

The next morning, Kate awoke to find Jack missing from the bed. Kate sat up sleepily, and yawned. It didn't take her too long to figure out that Jack was in the kitchen, making breakfast for them both.

"What are you making?" Kate asked as she walked in the room. She was tying her robe around her waist.

Jack turned and grinned at her. "Hey! Did you sleep well?

"You didn't answer my question." Kate walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Jack couldn't help but smell her hair. He missed her so much. "Ten days a year isn't nearly enough time for us."

"I know." Kate pulled away. To shut him up before he would go on his 'Will you marry me?' kick again, Kate kissed him.

"I missed that too." Jack grinned as they broke apart and Jack went back to making breakfast.

"I had forgotten how loud you snored Jack. I'm surprised the neighbors haven't complained." Kate sat on a barstool at the island in the middle of the kitchen. She leaned her elbows against the counter as she watched Jack.

Jack looked at the eggs in the pan. "So what did you do this time?" He could feel her stare against his back. When she didn't answer, Jack turned around to look at her. She wasn't there.

"Kate?" Jack left the kitchen. He found her in the hallway staring at the pictures.

"We look so… normal." Kate was staring at the picture of them.

"I know. That's why I like it so much."

"You would never know that a couple years ago we were stuck on a island. No one would know all the pain we've had to go through."

Jack remembered the conversation he had had with Sayid about Sawyer.

"I know." Jack said softer. He approached Kate and put his arms around her.

"You gotta stop asking me about what I'm doing Jack. I'm not going to tell you, not yet at least." Kate whispered into his shoulder.

Jack smiled at her saying not yet again. "I know. I wish you would. Why do we have to have so many secrets?" Jack asked.

"I'm not ready yet."

"It's been three years since we got off the island Kate. When will you be ready?"

Kate didn't answer.

"You have to settle down sometime Katie." Jack whispered in her ear.

Kate shook her head and said those two dreaded words once again. "Not yet."

Jack thought about questioning her more about it, but then he thought better of it. She would only be here for a couple days and then be gone again. He didn't want to chase her off too soon.

"So you ready for breakfast?" He changed the subject.

Kate lifted her head off of Jack's chest. "Yeah." She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling, and they walked back into the kitchen hand in hand.

They spent the next couple of days together. Jack called in at work, saying that he had a family situation that he had to take care of. Everyone at work knew it was because Kate was back in town.

They did everything that they could think of, from going bowling to just sitting on the couch enjoying the fire in the fireplace.

On one such night, they were sitting in front of the fireplace. It happened to be the night before Kate was going to decide to leave again. Whenever Kate would leave, she would never tell Jack, she would just be gone and Jack would have to just move on and wait for Kate to come back again. Jack never got used to that, and dreaded it whenever it happened.

But for now, the couple was just enjoying each other. Jack stroked Kate's hair as she leaned against him.

Kate sighed. "Just go ahead and ask it."

"What?"

"I know you want to." Kate stared at the fireplace.

"Okay, fine. Will you marry me?" Jack asked her in a dull voice, already knowing her answer.

"Not yet. All right. You asked. Now let's get on with our night." Kate stood up.

"What do you mean?" Jack looked up at her.

"I'll meet you in the bedroom." Kate grinned at him and went into their bedroom.

Jack stayed on the couch for several minutes, thinking. It wouldn't be the first time that they had made love but it hadn't happened for a while. He had imagined it being a special thing between the two of them when they got married, but the temptation had gotten too strong for the both of them one night and they had given in. Needless to say, neither of them had regretted it. But it didn't happen frequently.

If Kate was suggesting it now, it must mean something. Jack wasn't sure if he wanted to go through with it. But he already knew that he would. He stood up and walked into the bedroom.

"Took you long enough." Kate's playful voice came from the dark room.

"Sorry, I was thinking."

"Thinking?"

"Yeah."

"About what?" Kate instantly regretted asking, because Jack instantly started into a long conversation.

"Look Kate, I'm getting tired of always being here every time you're ready. I can't keep doing this."

"What do you mean?"

"You may not be ready to settle down, but I am. I wish you were ready too." Jack sat down next to her on the bed. She sighed and stood up. She grabbed her robe from the closet and put it on.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked her.

"You want to talk and I'm cold."

"You're naked? " Jack asked, horrified.

"Nearly. I thought we could save some time." Kate shrugged as she sat back down next to Jack.

"This is what I'm talking about. You're so eager to get in bed with me, yet you refuse to get married to me."

"Jack I want to be with you, but if you keep treating me like this, then I will have to stop coming back all together."

"Maybe you should."

Kate stared at Jack in the dark, fighting tears. "Yeah, maybe I should." She stood up and left the room.

Jack sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. He loved Kate, but he couldn't handle her doing this to him.

Kate was in the kitchen, getting some water when Jack followed her there.

"I'm sorry." Jack said as he leaned against the counter next to the refrigerator. "I shouldn't have said that. I told you when you moved in that it was okay for you to leave, and it's still okay. I'm just getting frustrated."

Kate set her glass down. "I know you are. It's not fair to you. You're right. I should leave and just let get on with your life."

"Kate, you don't understand. My life isn't anything without you." Jack told her, his voice thick with emotion.

Kate turned around and stared at Jack. She walked over to him and put her hand on his chest. His shirt was a dark shade of blue, and she loved it.

She laid her head on Jack's chest, and Jack put his arms around her.

"I miss holding you like this." Jack whispered.

"I miss it too." Kate whispered back.

Kate lifted her head and looked up at Jack. This man was so devoted to her, and she had nothing to offer him. She wanted to offer him marriage, a normal life with a family, but she just couldn't imagine herself in that place yet.

Jack kissed her tenderly, and Kate's hands wrapped around Jack's neck.

Jack fingered Kate's robe around her waist, where he could easily just pull on the robe's knot to undo it.

Kate stopped kissing him for only a second, and she looked up at him questioningly. "I thought you said-"

"I think we need to do this." Jack stared at her, asking for her permission, and Kate nodded.

She took Jack's hand that was touching the knot around her waist, and pulled him into the bedroom with her. It was in that moment that she decided that she was going to leave the next day, and she decided to make this night the most special night either one of them had ever had.

A/N: I'm sorry that this was so long, but the next chapter is going to be kinda short, so I wanted to give you guys a long chapter first. Please let me know what you thought!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews guys. This is a really short chapter, and I'm sorry for that.

"_Jack. Wake up Jack." Kate shook Jack awake._

"_What? What is it? What's wrong?" Jack rubbed his eyes with his hand. _

"_I'm leaving."_

"_What?" _

"_I can't stay here anymore."_

"_What?"_

"_You're always pressuring me to stay and I can't take it anymore."_

"_But Kate, I told you. I'm fine with you leaving."_

"_I know, but I can't deal with this. I'm leaving now, and I don't think I'll be coming back." _

"_No Kate. Don't go." Jack stood up and followed Kate out of the room. _

_Kate picked up her bags as she reached the door. "Goodbye Jack."_

"_No Kate!" Jack ran out the door but she was already gone. _

Jack woke up with a start. He sat up in bed. It was only a dream. He sighed in relief, and then laid back down. But he quickly sat up again when he realized that Kate wasn't beside him.

"Kate?"

"What?" Kate asked from across the room.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting some water." Kate lied. The truth was that she was dressed and that she was about to walk out the door when he had woken up.

"Oh."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know.. I just, I don't want you to leave again."

Kate didn't answer.

"Kate?"

"Yeah, I'm here." Kate gently set her bags down and sat down on the bed next to Jack. She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently.

"I can't promise you that I won't leave again, because I am leaving. Soon."

"When?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why?'

"Because I don't want you worrying about it."

"But if I knew—"

"If you knew you wouldn't ever let me out of your sight."

"You're right." Jack sighed.

"This is why I can't marry you yet."

"You're saying I have to let you go before I can marry you." Jack stated with a sigh.

"Jack, let's go back to bed. We can always talk about this another time."

"No, what if you leave tonight?"

Kate sighed. She hated it when Jack read her mind. She didn't answer, and Jack realized that she probably was going to leave tonight, so he decided to strop talking about it.

Jack laid back down, sighing loudly, and Kate followed suit. They both laid on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Their hands intertwined on the bed, and they both spent most of the night thinking. But the second Jack fell asleep, Kate turned on her side so that she could look at him one last time before she left.

She kissed his cheek, and then she stood up. She grabbed her bags, and left before he could wake up again. When she closed the door to their house, she stood on her tiptoes to put her key above the door, and then she was gone.

A/N: All right, the next chapter will be longer and you'll find out what Kate's been doing all this time.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.

A/N: Okay so now you're gonna find out what Kate's been doing. Sadly, she hasn't been doing much.

"Katherine."

"What?" Kate shook her head as she came back to reality. The television was playing some corny soap opera, but Kate hadn't been paying any attention.

"How long are you going to sit on my couch? I'm better now. You should have your own life. I thought you and that doctor guy were getting serious."

Kate sighed. She was going to get that lecture again. "We are Mom."

Diane sat down next to Kate on her couch. She took Kate's hands in her own.

"Kate, I know it's hard for you to settle down, but I'm really okay now. You don't have to feel like you have to make it up to me. I will always miss your father, but I forgive you. You no longer have to stay here."

"But Mom, what I did was so horrible. I can't even imagine what I put you through. And now that you're better, I just want to be with you all the time." Even though Kate still felt that she had done the right thing, she still felt bad about it because she knew her mother had loved Wayne even though he had caused her so much pain.

"And I will always be in your life, but you need to move on. Kate, you were in a plane crash, you met this handsome man who wants to spend his life with you, yet you can't manage to stay more than a few days with him. I don't understand you sometimes Katie."

"I don't understand myself sometimes." Kate whispered, a tear falling down her cheek.

"Why don't you go home Kate? Back to Jack. He loves you. Why don't you tell him what you've been doing? I think it's time you told him. It's not like it's a big secret."

"I don't want him to be weighed down with my problems."

"But he wants to. He wants to be there for you."

"I don't want him fixing me!" Kate yelled, and then she covered her mouth in shock. "I don't want him fixing me." Kate repeated in a softer voice, the tears now flowing freely.

"Kate, he doesn't want to fix you. He loves you for who you are. If that were the case, do you think he would still be sticking around waiting for you all the time? No one can fix you. You're not normal Kate. Just like everyone else in this world. Just like every single one of you that are apart of that… Oceanic 6 club."

Kate couldn't help but smile. "It's not a club Mom."

Diane smiled back. "Well how should I know? I can barely keep up with what boy Britney is with, how can I keep up with all the plane crash coverage?"

"We came home three years ago. Why can't they just stop?" Kate sighed.

"Kate, what are we talking about here?"

"I probably should think about settling down." Kate stared at her mom for a second before standing up. She just wanted her mom off her back. "I have to tell you something else Mom.."

"What it is sweetheart? You know you can tell me anything."

Kate stood behind her mom's couch now, while her mom looked up at her. "I think I'm pregnant." Kate bit her lip, waiting for her mom's reaction.

"Really? How do you know?"

"Well I'm not absolutely sure, I need to get a test, but I'm pretty sure."

"And Jack's the father?"

"If I am pregnant, then yes, he is." Kate smiled at the thought of Jack being a father.

"You should go to the store Kate." Diane told her seriously.

Kate nodded. "All right, I'll go."

Kate went to the nearest drugstore as fast as she could. She had no idea of how she was going to react either way. If she was pregnant, she knew she would be forced to settle down with Jack, but if she wasn't pregnant, then she would have no reason to settle down, and for some reason, Kate liked the thought of staying with Jack more and more.

She didn't know how to be a mother, and she was pretty sure Jack didn't know how to be a father, but she imagined him being a loving father, and as she left the drugstore five minutes later, she started to laugh at the thought of Jack trying to take care of a baby. A man walking into the store stared at her like she was insane, but Kate didn't care. She had stopped caring about what others thought of her a long time ago.

It seemed like only seconds later when Kate was back at her mom's house, waiting for her test results. Diane had laid down for a nap, so Kate was alone. Although Kate was pretty sure her mother hadn't taken naps in years.

Kate sat on the bathroom floor, not having enough strength to stand up while she waited. A huge part of her wished that Jack was here for this, and she almost reached for the phone, but she refrained. She knew that it would change her life if she were pregnant. She would have to go home. And for some reason, that didn't scare her as much as it used to, as much as it should. She had spent her life running, and now she might be forced to stay in one spot. She didn't know if she could handle that.

She glanced at the clock and realized that it was time to look. Her heart rate increased dramatically as she looked at the test. She was pregnant.

A/N: Okay so the story is really going to get going in the next chapter. Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.

A/N: So basically, I've been building up to this chapter. This is where the story really gets going…. And it's gonna get worse before it gets better.

_Three Months Later_

It was the middle of the night as Kate drove through the crowded Las Angeles streets. She had decided to stay with her mom in Iowa for a couple more months before finally leaving. She had been wrong. She hadn't been ready to have a baby yet. She couldn't handle going home to Jack and telling him the news. It was too much for her. She was afraid of what he would say, and how it would change her life.

But after calming down and preparing, Kate felt that she was finally ready to return home and to start a new chapter in her life. She was ready to tell Jack what she had been doing. She knew that it would probably disappoint him. Either that or he would be very relieved. He was probably thinking that she was off doing some pretty outrageous things, when really she had just been staying with her mom.

But like her mother had told her before she left, it was time that Kate grew up. It was time that she accepted Jack's marriage proposal. And Diane had even said that she would come visit a couple times each year. Kate was looking forward to this new life.

She had almost gone home to Jack two months ago, in fact she had been standing at his doorway, with the key in her hand, when she realized that she couldn't go through with it. All she could think of was Sawyer, and the miscarriage. It had sent her right back to the car and back home. Her mother had called it a waste of a plane ticket, but Kate reminded her that she had that Golden Pass from Oceanic and she could fly whenever she wanted.

But this was all behind her now. She was coming home, and this time, her car was filled with luggage. Another moving truck was on the way with the rest of her belongings. Yes, she was truly ready.

She parked her car in front of Jack's house and got out. It was raining heavily, and Kate couldn't wait to get inside.

She walked to the door and tried the doorknob. It was locked. She reached up above the door for the key. It wasn't there. She tried the other side of the top of the door. She swept her fingers across it. It wasn't there. Kate frowned. She bent to the ground to see if it had fallen. She looked under the doormat that said 'Welcome'. She couldn't find it. So Kate rang the doorbell. No one answered. But a dog did bark. When did Jack get a dog?

It was the middle of the night, where could Jack possibly be? It came to her almost immediately. He was probably at work. But why was her house key gone? Kate sat down on the steps that went up to the door and wrapped her arms around her legs as she waited. She could get back in the car, but she didn't want to.

She pulled her hood over her head that was connected to her sweatshirt as she mulled over where Jack could possibly be. The dog continued to bark at her through the window, and Kate tried to block it out by concentrating on the rain. It wasn't hard to do since the rain was coming down in torrents. Kate didn't mind getting wet though. It reminded her of the rain on the island.

It seemed like hours later when a car pulled up in the driveway. Kate instantly recognized it as Jack's jeep. Kate stood up, her heart beating fast, as Jack slowly got out of the car. He closed the door to the jeep and stared at her for a long time before running over to her.

"Kate? What are you doing here?" He hollered over the rain as Kate ran to meet him. She threw her arms around him and laughed.

"I came home silly." She said into his ear.

Jack hugged her tightly against him. "You're all wet. How long have you been out here in the rain?"

"A couple of hours."

Jack let go of her and stared at her.

"What Jack? I would have gone inside, but my key seems to be missing. Do you know why that is?" Kate asked.

Jack looked down, and Kate's heart sank.

"Jack. What's going on?"

"Kate, I haven't heard from you in over five months."

"So?" Kate didn't see what the big deal was; she had been gone longer than that before.

"So…" Jack looked up at her apologetically as Kate heard a car door open. She looked over Jack's shoulder, and noticed a woman getting out of Jack's car.

Kate grabbed Jack's arm. "Jack, who is that?"

Jack looked behind him before looking back at Kate. "Kate, I can explain."

"What's going on Jack?" the woman asked as she came near.

"Nothing." Jack told the blonde.

"Hi. I'm Taylor." The woman offered her hand to Kate, but Kate didn't take it. She reminded her of Juliet. Jack had always had a thing for blondes.

"Jack, who is this? I thought you said there wasn't anybody." Taylor turned to Jack.

"You've been seeing other people?" Kate asked Jack, her voice clear and sharp over the rain.

"Not exactly." Jack mumbled.

Taylor's mouth dropped open, but she didn't say anything.

Kate noticed this and shook her head. "I can't handle this, not now." Kate turned and started to walk to her car.

"Kate, wait." Jack reached for her arm, but Kate pulled away. She ran the rest of the way to her car.

"No Jack. I have to go." Kate opened her car door.

"You don't understand! Let me explain!" Jack pleaded with her as he stood by the other side of her car.

Kate shook her head and got in her car, and drove away with tears streaming down her already wet cheeks.

A/N: Duh Duh DUN. And the plot thickens. Okay, it's not that big of a shocker, but it was fun to say that. lol! I shall update soon!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own LOST.

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update! Thank you guys so much for the reviews! It's what keeps me going.

It was weeks later when he saw her again. And he would never forget it. He had been working the night shift at the hospital. He had changed over from the day shift to get away from Taylor, who had been pestering him about going on another date. He hadn't even wanted to date her in the first place. It had been Sayid and Charlie that had persuaded him to have some fun. He had quickly realized that going out with her was a mistake, but it was too late now.

He had been with a patient when he heard the news. He saw the commotion outside and went to see what was going on. He walked in the middle of a conversation.

"She was hit by a drunk driver, who was going at approximately thirty miles over the speed limit." The nurse on hand was telling the doctor, who was examining the patient.

Jack set his clipboard down on a nearby counter. "What are her injuries?"

The doctor, Doctor Stevens, looked at Jack. "Nothing you need to be concerned about."

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Jack hated to admit it, but he was bored and was desperate to help with anything.

"It doesn't seem like she had sustained any injuries to her spine Doctor Shephard." Dr. Stevens had never liked Jack in the first place because he had gotten so much attention from the plane crash.

Jack nodded. "All right." He picked up his clipboard and started to leave.

"Jack!" A panicked scream came from the woman, and Jack immediately turned around. He could recognize that voice anywhere, no matter how agonized it was. He heard the nurse shout, "She's regained consciousness!"

"Kate?" Jack rushed to her side. "What happened?" He asked the doctor.

Doctor Stevens ignored Jack and motioned to one of the nurses. "Get her a sedative."

"No! Wait!" Kate screamed. "The baby! Is my baby okay?" Kate looked at Jack with wide eyes. Her forehead was covered with blood, indicating that her head had hit the steering wheel from the impact.

"What baby?"

"Jack, make sure the baby's okay." Kate said in a whisper as the sedative kicked in.

As Kate slipped into unconsciousness once again, Jack noticed the telltale bump that was under her clothes. He guessed that she was about six months pregnant.

"You know this woman?" Dr. Stevens asked him.

Jack nodded, barely paying attention to the man. He looked at the nurse. "We need a Ultrasound over here so we can check on the baby."

"Jack this isn't your patient and I don't think you should be involved in this situation." Dr. Stevens informed him

The nurse looked at Jack and back at the other doctor, debating on who to listen to. Finally, she decided to side with Jack, and went to get the Ultrasound.

Jack looked up at the other doctor and lowered his voice. "I'm asking you for a favor. I need to be here to take care of her. She's not your patient yet. Please, just let me take care of her. " He pleaded with the man.

Dr. Stevens sighed. "All right. I'm tired anyways, and my wife wanted me home tonight, so I suppose you can take over from here."

"Thank you."

"It doesn't look like she'll need surgery. You might want to keep her here overnight for observation though." The doctor advised Jack before leaving.

Jack nodded. "All right." He was relieved that Kate wasn't very injured, aside from cuts and bruises and perhaps a sprained ankle. Of course they wouldn't be sure of the baby's condition until they got the Ultrasound.

Jack turned to the other nurse who was just standing there. "I need you to get me a room for Kate, and then I need you to see what we have on file for her."

The nurse nodded and walked down the hallway.

Jack walked over to Kate's side and took her hand in his own. "I'm going to take care of you, and the baby." Jack whispered to her. "You're going to be fine, I promise."

The nurses returned within a couple of minutes. They put her down the hall in a room, and Jack checked on the file while the nurses performed the Ultrasound.

He scanned it for an emergency contact, and felt his throat constrict when he saw that he was her emergency contact. He realized that she was his emergency contact as well. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. He couldn't believe that this had happened.

"Doctor Shephard?" One of the nurses called out to him

He walked over to the bed and set the file down. "How's the baby?"

"The baby's fine."

Jack looked at the screen and smiled. She was having a boy. For a brief instant he wondered if he could be the father. He wondered if that was why she was down here in the first place.

"Thank you." Jack nodded at the two nurses. "We just need to bandage her up and I think she'll be good for the night." They spent the next hour bandaging her up, giving her a brace for her ankle, and giving her stitches on her forehead. She woke up briefly for that, but Jack just squeezed her hand and whispered in her ear until she fell asleep again. For now, all their problems were forgotten.

He told the two nurses to leave after they were finished, and he spent the night in her room, except for when there was the occasional emergency that he had to take care of.

The next morning, Kate woke up to the bright sunshine in her face from the open window, and for a moment she forgot where she was, until she tried to move. Her whole body felt heavier than ever, and every bone in her body hurt.

"Don't try to move." A female voice told her, and she looked for the source.

It was the blonde. Taylor.

"What are you doing here?" Kate gasped softly.

"I work here, as a nurse."

"Why are you--?"

"With you? Because I want to know what's so special about you."

"Why do you mean?" Kate asked.

Taylor shrugged. "After you left that night, Jack told me that our little fling was a mistake. I'm guessing you left him, and so I was the rebound girl, but apparently I wasn't good enough for him, because he kept talking about you."

Kate smiled.

"Jack's obviously in love with you. I hope you guys can work it out. Is the baby his?"

"That's none of your business." Kate said sharply, trying to look intimidating, but failing with the hospital nightgown on.

Taylor frowned. "I was just asking. You're doing fine by the way. The baby's fine too."

Kate breathed a sigh of relief, as Jack walked in the room. As soon as he saw Taylor, he stopped.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was checking on the patient."

"She's fine. I was just in here ten minutes ago. I think the patient next door needs his bed sheets changed."

Taylor knew that this was her cue to leave, and she just glared at Jack as she left.

As soon as she was gone, Jack pulled up a chair next to Kate. They stared at each other for minutes without saying anything.

"How are you feeling?' Jack asked.

Kate sighed and rolled her eyes. Jack didn't know what else to say so he just immediately went into doctor mode. It was so typical of him.

"I'm fine Jack. Taylor told me the baby is fine too."

Jack glanced at her stomach before looking at her again. "When did you find out?"

"Five months ago."

Jack nodded. "Why didn't you tell me then?'

"Because I was scared Jack. Having a baby would mean staying in one place. And I was afraid of doing that." Kate chose her words carefully.

"So what are you doing here now?"

"I came back, to see you."

"I would think that after what you saw, that you would never want to see me again. Why did you come back?"

"I can't live without you Jack. Believe me, I've tried." Kate took a deep breath. "But I forgive you. Taylor told me that it was just a fling. She called herself the rebound girl." Kate grinned.

Jack smiled and took Kate's hand in his own. "You should know that you're the only woman for me."

Kate gave him a small smile. "I know." She said quietly. She had somehow always known.

Jack looked down. "Do you know who the father is?"

"What do you mean? Of course I do." Kate acted like it was a stupid question.

"Oh." It was all that Jack could say.

"Wait, you don't think you're the father?"

Jack looked up at Kate again. "Well…." He trailed off. He had no idea of what she had been up to when she wasn't with him.

"Jack, I haven't slept with anyone else since…" She stopped immediately, as she saw the pain in Jack's eyes. She was going to say Sawyer, but it seemed like that was going to hurt Jack even more than if she had told him that he wasn't the father.

"You mean…?" Jack's eyes widened.

"We're going to be parents Jack. We're going to have a family." Kate whispered.

A/N: Wow, what's up with me and ending my chapters so weird? Anways, please review, and I'll update soon!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A/N: I'm trying to catch up with my stories because I feel bad that I left so many unfinished. I decided to start with this one. If anyone is still reading I would love a review! I put a lot of fluff in this one, hope you enjoy!

Jack's heart pounded in his chest at Kate's words. He was going to be a father. He grinned at Kate for a moment, before realizing that she could still run if she wanted to. "Are you going to leave again? Kate, I don't know if I can handle you leaving again. I even got a dog because I was so lonely."

Kate shook her head. "No, I'm never leaving. Never again. I want our child to grow up in a normal home. And my mom kicked me out." She grinned while watching Jack carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"Jack," Kate sighed, and looked down at their hands. "I was staying with my mom." She looked up at Jack.

"I don't understand."

"Jack, you've scared me so much in the past. You always cared for me, and I was so afraid of hurting you, but now, I'm sure of what I want, and Jack, I want you. I want to marry you, and I want to grow old with you." Kate squeezed his hand.

At this Jack stood up quickly, knocking the chair that was beneath him. He ran out of the room, and Kate sat up, confused. He ran in a minute later with a huge grin on his face. "You're checked out. You just need to get into your clothes and I'll take you home." Jack shut the door from behind him and closed the curtains. He grabbed her clothes from a dresser drawer and went to her. Kate laughed at his eagerness and threw back her blankets. He helped her take off her hospital gown gently, taking his time. Before he started to help her put her shirt on, she grabbed his hand and pulled him down to her level. She reached for his face and kissed him eagerly. He responded immediately, and soon they were both sitting on the bed, making up for lost time.

They started getting a little wild, and Kate started to feel dizzy. "Ow." Kate sat back, holding her head.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing, I just have a headache."

"You have to be careful. You were just in an accident. I'm sorry, I should have thought of that." Jack couldn't believe that he had forgotten that she had just been in an accident.

"No it's okay. I'm fine now." Kate pulled him to her again, and as their lips touched, Jack knew what he wanted to ask her.

They broke apart, and Kate carefully leaned her forehead against Jack's. Her stitches hurt, but she didn't care. She was with Jack, and that was all that mattered. She took his hands and rested them in her lap.

Jack watched their hands in her lap, his heart beating fast. He opened his mouth, hesitating for a moment. "Will you marry me Kate?" He whispered hoarsely, his eyes were suddenly clouded with tears, and he couldn't see their hands through his blurred vision.

Kate kissed him again, and then took his face with both of her hands. She looked into his eyes, and smiled. "Yes."

Jack grinned, and kissed her again. "Let's get you dressed."

Kate laughed. "That might be a good idea."

He helped her get dressed and helped her get into a wheelchair. Her leg had to be put in a cast, which made her very angry, and even though Jack reassured her that he would help her, Kate told him that it wouldn't help matters any.

Jack pushed her down a long hallway as Kate continued to complain, and soon she realized that they weren't heading for the exit. "Jack, where are we going?"

"I'm going to get something from my office."

"Why?" Kate looked up at him.

He just grinned at her. "You'll see."

Jack opened the door to his office and pushed Kate through. He left her and went to his desk, unable to stop smiling.

"What are you doing?" Kate laughed at him. She had missed his smile, his energy.

"Getting this." Jack grabbed a small black box from his desk drawer and walked over to her, kneeling down to her level.

Kate looked at him in confusion, her hands on her growing stomach.

Jack held out his hand and Kate put her hand in his.

"Kate, I've been waiting for you to say yes for so long.. I've had this ring for so long, and I've waited for the moment to give it to you. And now here it is." Jack squeezed her hand tightly and took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her hand.

Kate brought her hand up to her face and blinked several times trying to get the ring to come into focus.

"It's beautiful." Kate let out a sob, covering her face with her hands.

"Did I do something wrong?" Jack asked worriedly, moving closer to Kate.

"No, I did." Kate removed her hands from her face and took Jack's hands in hers. "I am so sorry, for everything. For saying no every time you asked me, for leaving you all the time, for-"

Jack shook his head, tears escaping from his own eyes. He couldn't speak so he reached forward and kissed Kate passionately.

He leaned back and took her face in his hands, wiping her tears with his thumbs.

"Kate." Jack whispered. "I love you. All of you. For who you are. If you didn't leave me, if you didn't say no, it wouldn't have been you."

Kate smiled, reaching up and taking his hands from her face. "I always imagined this moment, but I never thought it would happen with me in a wheelchair in your office at the hospital." She laughed.

Jack looked around his office and grinned. "It was everything I imagined it would be."

Jack stood up and took the handles of Kate's wheelchair and started to push her out.

"When we get home," Kate paused, smiling at how good it felt to say home again. "I want to begin working on the baby's room."

"When we get home you're going straight to bed."

"No way!" Kate protested.

"Kate, I am your doctor. You were just in an accident and you're pregnant. You need to rest." Jack said as sternly as he could.

"Fine." Kate agreed. "But then tomorrow we'll start."

Jack smiled at her stubbornness. "Okay," Jack agreed, in the same tone as her.

Kate smiled. It was good to be back.

A/N: Don't worry, there will still be angst coming up!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: This chapter is quite angsty but I also made sure to put some fluff in it too.

The next couple of days flew by for Jack, not so much for Kate. Jack forced her to stay in bed far longer than Kate wanted, and even though Kate forced him to entertain her at night, Kate had a hard time keeping busy during the day. Kate begged Jack to take the rest of the week off of work to stay to home with her but Jack insisted he needed to be there. He had scheduled a lot of surgeries that week that he couldn't get out of and it had started an argument

"Jack I need you here at home with me. Your patients can get other doctors." Kate stood leaning against the kitchen counter for support. Kate couldn't use crutches because of her wrist, and she refused to use a wheelchair, so she just leaned against everything for support to help her get around.

"You know my patients come to me for a reason. They don't want anyone else."

"I understand that, but.." Kate looked down. "I miss you, I need you here."

"I can't just drop everything because you decided to come home Kate!" Jack raised his voice.

Kate's eyes widened at his sudden outburst. She blinked a few times, holding back tears.

Jack immediately realized his mistake. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." Jack walked closer to her and she shook her head and backed away, holding onto the counter. It was hard for her to stand up with the extra weight from the pregnancy and her injuries.

"No, I understand. I haven't been here, and I shouldn't expect you to drop everything for me like you used to." Kate said sadly.

Jack could tell that he had hurt her, but he didn't know what to do to make it better.

"I'll ask for next week off okay? It's just, this week was packed, and I can't force my patients to get other doctors."

"Okay." Kate walked into the other room, with much effort. Jack wanted to help her but he knew she would never let him.

Kate turned around. "And for the record, I came home a couple weeks ago, but you were with someone else. Just thought I would remind you."

Jack followed Kate into the hallways and grabbed her hand to prevent her from walking any farther.

"Let go of me." Kate said harshly, shaking her hand out of his grasp.

"Kate, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Any of that. And Taylor was a mistake. You know that. Nothing happened between us."

"I know." Kate sighed. "I just hate it that you gave up on me so easily."

"I thought you had given up on me, and a part of me still worries that you're going to run again." Jack admitted.

"What?" Kate stepped closer to him. "How can you think that?"

"It's just.. sure you're not going to leave now, while you're injured.. but as soon as you get better.. you can just leave again."

"Is that what this is about?" Kate asked, putting her hand on his chest. She was having a hard time standing up. She was so tired.

Jack just stared into her green eyes, not saying a word, but confirming that this was indeed what it was about.

"Oh Jack, if I had planned on leaving again, I wouldn't have said yes to marrying you. I love you. And we're going to work. I know we're going to have problems, but we're going to get through them. And we're going to have a family." Kate took Jack's hand and placed it on her stomach. "We're going to have a baby together."

Kate reached up and kissed Jack's cheek. "I am going to spend the rest of our lives trying to make up for all the time I made you spend alone. I promise."

Jack smiled. "I don't want you to feel like you have to make it up to me. Knowing you're going to be here is good enough for me."

"I'm going to go upstairs and take a nap." Kate reached for Jack's hand. "You wanna come?" She smiled sweetly.

Jack looked down at his watch. "I guess the hospital could wait a few hours."

Kate's smile broadened.

"Come here." Jack opened his arms and Kate stood against him, leaning her head against his chest.

"I missed this." Kate murmured.

"Is it okay if I carry you upstairs?" Jack asked.

Kate lifted her head and looked into Jack's brown eyes questioningly.

"I just thought, you know. It's hard for you to get around with your ankle. "Jack quickly explained himself.

Kate smiled. She loved it when Jack took care of her. "Okay."

Jack picked up her up and she put her arms around Jack's neck. She nuzzled her head against Jack's neck and laughed as he carried her upstairs.

Jack gently put Kate down on the bed and he laid down beside her. Their hands instantly found each others, and Kate quickly fell asleep.

With Jack's free hand he reached over and pushed back Kate's hair from her face. He would never tire of watching her sleep. To him, it was the most beautiful thing in the world. It was the only time when Kate looked completely peaceful. He wished he could make her look that way when she was awake.


End file.
